Home improvement 101: Make sure it gets put in writing

Posted: Friday, July 27, 2001

By From Home Service StoreAssociated Press

Before the euphoria of a home improvement job dissolves into a ''we said-you said'' spat between homeowner and contractor, a home repair expert suggests both sides can minimize miscommunication with a series of simple steps, including a clearly written contract.

''Usually somewhere between what was said and what was heard lies the breakdown in communication,'' said Jeff Polakiewicz of the Home Service Store. ''What it should tell homeowners is that everything should be in writing. It's really the only way to do business.''

In Polakiewicz's view, better contractors will initiate a contract conversation with homeowners, followed by ample give-and-take before agreeing to a mutually acceptable contract.

While Polakiewicz does not routinely see intentional contractor miscommunication in his role as a home repair project manager for the Home Service Store, he does see instances where contractor language is sometimes ''over the head'' of homeowners. Often, the contractors assume that homeowners understand what they say, but homeowners are too embarrassed to ask what the terms, definitions and acronyms mean. ''I tell people to speak up when they are unclear about anything,'' Polakiewicz said.

He suggests homeowners let the written contract do the talking. Payment terms, inspections, and estimated start and finish dates should be in writing. Items relating to schedules are frequent sore points. ''In my experience, the homeowner is most disappointed when the job isn't done on time,'' said Polakiewicz. ''They may rave about the job, but they'll say 'Yeah, but it took too long.'''

Standard fill-in-the-blank contracts available at most office supply stores can give homeowners an idea about contract structure. Contractors may be required to have contracts on hand that can be tailored to fit the job. Yet homeowners fail to head off a major source of miscommunication -- and irritation with the quality of work -- by not checking contractor references.

''It's the biggest mistake homeowners make. People should check references, but most of the time they don't,'' said Polakiewicz. ''What I tell people is to check the contractor's last three jobs. Get the addresses and go see their work. You don't want to see what he did three years ago, but what he did the last three weeks.''

Polakiewicz said homeowners who have had work done by a contractor are usually glad to share information about contractor performance. If the homeowner had a good experience, they ''go above and beyond to say good things.'' But when their answers are short and clipped, it's a sure sign the job didn't go well.

Contractors can take additional steps to improve communication. ''A contractor who is honest will tell the customer, 'This is what I thought I heard you say' right from the start,'' said Polakiewicz.

He points to kitchen makeovers as an example. ''Many times customers say, 'I want this and this and this,' but they don't know all the minutia it takes to finish the kitchen. I literally ask them how they cook, how they entertain and what they eat,'' said Polakiewicz. ''It helps people identify how the kitchen should really work because blueprints don't always tell the whole story.''

The interpretation of homeowner needs is critical to a job done right and on time. ''The toughest thing for the contractor is identifying exactly what the customer wants,'' said Polakiewicz. ''The homeowner is excited once the contractor's truck is in the driveway and they have grandiose visions, and if their expectations aren't met, things can go sour in a hurry.''

Computer renditions or elevation drawings can aid homeowner understanding of how the finished job should appear.

Sometimes communication can be too positive, said Polakiewicz. ''Anytime a contractor says 'yes, yes' to your questions just to get the job, they aren't as forthright as they can be. Homeowners need someone to challenge their thinking so they can get the results that match their expectations.''

The Home Service Store manages home maintenance, repair and improvement tasks in more than 130 markets nationwide and can be found at www.TrustHSS.com.

This article published in the Athens Banner-Herald on Friday, July 27, 2001.